Box-car door



Nov. 17 1925. 1,561,852

L. s. HARALDSON m QARDQOR Find Feb. I8, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 "4 lemdmflsv/z v 3mm 17 1925' s. HARALDSON BOX CAR noon Filed Feb. 1a, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' g E g l paratively simple in construction.

35 device mounted in connection therewith,

Patented Nov; 17, 1925 UNl-TED STATES LEWIS S. HARALDSON, OF ROWENA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

PATENT OFFICE.

' BOX CAR 13003.

Application filed February 18, 1925. Serial No. 10,114.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs S. HARALDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rowena, in the county of Minnehaha and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box- Car Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in slidable doors, particularly adapted for use 7 upon railroad box cars but also adapted for motor trucks and similar vehicles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a door of the above mentioned character which may be partially opened for. he removal'of the contents of the box car or vehicle body. p

A further object of the invention is to provide a door of the above mentioned'type adapted to permit progressive filling of the a. box car with matter such as grain or the like.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a door of this character whichis easily operable, durable, yet com- Other objects and advantages-of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a 1 7 part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 1s a transversewsectional view through a car body showing my improved Figure'2 is a vertical sectional view taken from the interior partially showing the door construction, g

Figure 3 is a similar view taken from the outsiee of the car body,

Figure f is a perspective view illustrating the construction of the guide members,

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view showing the detailed construction of the door guide means, I

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view show ing the upper door sect-ion in open position,

7 Figure 7 is a front elevation of a removf able plate,

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the manner of mounting the same,

Figure 9 is a front elevational view illustrating the construction of elevating bars for the door, and" r Figure 10 is a detailed view illustrating the construction of a section retaining plate.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 12 generally indicates the longitudinal beams of the box car body, and 13 the transverse brace beams. The numeral 14 designates the floor boards built upon the brace beams and 15 the roof construction. Secured to upper longitudinal beams 12 adjacent the roof are a pair of oppositely disposed header beams 16 adapted to form supports for my improved door. It is customary that box cars of this type be provided with door frames, usually two directly opposed vertical door posts 17 connecting with the upper and lower longitudinal body beams to complete the structure.

The foregoing description has dealt generally with the usual box car constructionand forms no part of my invention 7 being shown merely for the purpose of clearly describing the cooperating thereof with the elements comprising my invention.

Referring now more particularly to my improved door the numeral 18 designates a supporting beam secured to the central portion of the roof 15' having a pair of guide supporting brackets 19 fastened near the extremities thereof. The lower extremities of the brackets 19 are provided with horizontal brace plates bolted or otherwise secured to a horizontal guide rail 20. This rail is substantially in the shape of a widely spread V conforming to the general contour of the roof, the extremities being bent to extend vertically downward for a short distance. The guide rail 20is constructed of a pair of angles, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, the longer back legs thereof over-lapping and connected by bolts and the extreme edges of the shorter legs being provided with guide flanges 21. For the purpose of permitting convenient constructionof the device I consider it advisable to form the transverse guide rail 20 of two sections connected by the brace plate the projecting legs of the angles, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. These rails are secured to the door posts 17 by a plurality of suitably spaced bolts 23 extending through the extension legs of the rails and the door posts. In order to securely fasten the lower extremities of the side rails 22 I provide angular base plates 2% bolted to the interior legs of the rails and to the car floor.

The upper extremity of my door structure comprises a comparatively wide swinging section 25 preferably constructed of wood and provided about the edges with protecting strips of metal or any desirable material. The upper edge of this swinging section is provided with a pair of hinges 26 secured. to the section and to a vertically movable strip 27 mounted on the inner edge of the header beams 16. The extremities of the movable strip 27 are provided with longi tudinally extending cars 28 apertured to engage verti ral. guide bolts 29. The intermediate portions of the movable strips are provided with vertical slots 30 engageable with studs 31 having enlarged heads formed on the outer extremities thereof to prevent displacement of the strip. Coiled compression springs 32 are positioned between the upper head of the guide bolts 29 and the ears 28 normally tending to force the strip 27 downwardly. The lower portion of the car door structure is composed of a plurality of comparatively narrow sections 33 rectangular in cross-section and preferably constructed of wood. These sections are also provided with metallic strips or strips of suitable material about the edges designed to protect the same. The extremities of the sections 33 carry longitudinal extending shafts 3a securely fastened in the sections and adapted to rotatably support on the ends thereof roller bearings 35 secured against displacement by countersunk heads formed on the extremities of the shaft or in any suitable manner. The roller bearings are spaced from the ex remities of the sections 33 by a bearing sleeve 36 positioned between the section and roller bearings.

It is thus noted that the narrow sections 33 are readily movable upon the guide rails in a vertical plane, lateral movement being prevented by the guide flanges formed on the rails. When the narrow guide sections 33 are positioned in the upper transverse guide rail and depending sections adjacent thereto the roller bearings are positioned between the outer guide flanges and the vertical legs of the rail. The bearing sleeve 36 travels between the guide flanges, the body of the sections 33 in this instance being all together outside the rail. hen these sections engage the lower portions of the vertical side rails the extreme ends of the sections extend substantially within the rails,

due to the increased length of the side legs of the rails. As clearly shown in Figure the legs on the outer side of the rail are substantially longer than those on the inner side. This arrangementis considered desirable so that rain, dustor other undesirable matter may be excluded from within the car. In order that the movable sections 33 may be readily raised or lowered upon the guide rails I provide handles 3'? on the outer sides thereof adjacent the extremities, these handles being preferably constructed of U- shaped metallic rods having horizontal inwardly projecting lugs rotatably engaging suitable eye bolts. When it is desirable to remove one or more of the sections from the rails the roller shaft and bearings are removed from the door sections through suit able openings formed tarough the over-lapping legs of the rails, one of these openings being shown at 38. These openings are normally enclosed by a cover plate 39 secured to the rails by bolts 40 or inv any suitable manner.

The upper swinging guide section 25 is also provided with a pair of handles 3'? near the lower. edge thereof, the upper portion carrying a pair of hinge stop members 39. One section of these hinge members is bolted to the door while the other section swings about the hinge pin, this latter section being gravity actuated. As clearly shown in the closed door section of Figure l the movable hinge member formed on thelower portion of the hinge extends vertically downward parallel with the upper door section. hen this section is swung upwardly in the open position as clearly shown in Figure 6, the movable portion of the hinge swings downwardly to a position at approximately right angles to the door section and is restricted from further movement by a suitable projection. The purpose of this hinge member is well shown in the left hand portion of Figure 1, wherein the movable portion of the hinge 39 is shown engaging one of the movable door sections preventing downward movement thereof. The lower edge of the door section 25 carries a retaining plate 40 bolted or otherwise secured thereto and provided at the projecting end with a rectangular opening 41. In the open position of the door the projecting edge of the retaining plate 40 suit-ably engages a hook 42 secured to the box car roof retaining the swinging structure in position. In the closed position of the door the projecting extremity of the retaining plate overlaps the upper portion of the top movable section 33 preventing movement of the swinging section. l/Vhen it is desirable to open the door the upper swinging section is elevated, disengaging the retaining plate from the movable sections and permitting the same to be readily swung to the open position.

In certain instances it is desirable that the lower portion of the door only be opened and the grain or other matter stored in the car removed by shoveling in any desirable manner. This maybe accomplished by elevating the upper swinging door section and swinging the same inwardly sufficiently to disengage the upper edge of top'movable section whereby the movable sections may be elevated by means of jack hooks engageable with suitable elevating bars 42 formed in the central portion of the lower movable section.

In operating, the doors may be readily manipulated to the opened or closed posi tions as clearly shown in Figure 1. As heretofore described, the upper swinging section is first elevated in alignment with the movable sections then swung upwardly until the retaining plate-on the lower edge thereof engages the hooks 42 retaining this section in the upward position against the roof of the car. The bottom sections are then raised and rolled around in the guide rails this movement being readily accomplished by means of the handles 37 secured to the sections. When the narrow sections 33 have been positioned in the upper horizontal rail they will be retained thereon by means of the stop hinge 39 which will en-,

gage the lowermostsection and prevent the sections sliding downwardly. To close the doors the movable portion of the stop hinge 39 is swung upwardly whereby the narrow door sections will readily descend into their closed positions by gravitation, the upper swinging section being released from the hook and swung to the closed position shown in Figure 1. It is obvious that this door section possesses many advantages over the many patented devices intended for this purpose as most of these have been found generally impractical. It is contended that this device is highly practical and will meet the demand for a durable yet inexpensive door of this character. The structure may be readily applied to most box cars now in use without great expense or material alteration thereof and it is further contended eventually result in substantial saving due to the ease of operation and ei'iiciency as closure means. j

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes as to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of-the character described including a substantially U-shaped guide rail, a plurality of movable sections adapted to engage the said guide rails, a swinging section mounted above the uppermost of the movable sections, and means for readily opening or closing the Said sections.

2. In combination with a vehicle body comprising a floor, a roof, a door frame, and I a header beam ad acent the roof, of a pair onl the upper portion of the body, and means for retaining the sections in open position. 3. In combination with a vehicle body comprising a floor, a roof, door frames including door posts, and a pair of longitudinal header beams secured above the door frames, a pair of oppositely disposed guide rails extending adjacent the sides of the door frame and roof, a plurality of movable door sections, rollers mounted on the ex tremities of the movable sections adapted to engage the guide rails, a pair of swinging sections hingedly connected to the said longitudinal header beams, means whereby the swinging sections will retain the movable sections in open position, and means formed on'the said swinging and movable sections for actuating the same.

4. In combination with a box car and door frames formed in the sides of the box car, of a door including a pair of opposite disposed guide rails built of angle members having guide flanges formed on the outer extremities, the said guide rails extending on the sides adjacent the door frame and roof of the box car, a pair of comparatively wide swinging sections hinged to a pair of header beams mounted adjacent the roof of the car, a plurality of comparatively narrow sections movable upon the said guide rails, roller bearings mounted on the extremities of the movable sections adapted to engage the guide rails, handle members secured to the swinging section and movable section for readily operating the same, openings formed .in the guide rails for removing the guide sections, means for retaining the swinging sections 111 an open position, and

a stop hinge formed on the swingingv sec-.

tion adapted to engage and retain the movable sections upon the upper transverse rail.

5. In combination with a vehicle body having oppositely disposed door frames formed in the sides thereof, of doors adapted to close the vehicle body including a pair on the sections for readily operating the same, movable stop members secured to the upper swinging section adapted to retain the movable sections in open position, and means for readily releasing the said movable sections.

6. In combination With a vehicle body having door frames formed in the sides thereof, of sectional doors including guide rails formed adjacentand secured to the side and roof of the vehicle body, guide flanges formed on the extension legs thereof, a comparatively Wide swinging door section hingedly mounted upon a supporting strip, the Said strip being movably carried by a suitable longitudinal beam, a plurality of sections forming the lower portion of the doors and movable in alignment with the guide rails, rotatable extensions secured to themovable sections adapted to engage the guide rails, means formed on the swinging and movable door sections for operating the same, and means for retaining the said sections in open position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LFAVIS S. HARALDSON. 

